To: City Executive Board Date: 9 th October 2013 Report of: Head of Leisure, Parks &Communities& Head of Customer Services Title of Report: REVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS GRANTS PROGRAMME Summary and Recommendations Purpose of report:To inform the committee of the review of the community & voluntary organisations grants programme, and request agreement forthe approach to commissioningfrom April 2014 Key decision? Yes Executive lead member Councillor Bev Clack Councillor Susan Brown Policy Framework: Oxford City Council Corporate Plan & Oxfords Sustainable Community Strategy Recommendations (s):- Members of City Executive Board are recommended:- 1. To approve the programme for the (one-year) annual open bidding grants programme, youth ambition grants programme and the social inclusion programme for 2014/2015. 2. To continue the 3 year commissioned funding approach from April 2014 for all themes except the advice and money management theme, which for a transition year will be a one year programme from April 2014, subsequently reverting to a three year cycle. 3. To approve the fundingthemes and commissioning approach as outlined in Appendix 2 . Appendices to report Appendix 1: Overview of the voluntary sector in Oxford, by theme, funded from April 2011 to March 2014 Appendix 2: Specification of funding themes and the approach to commissioning of advice from April 2014 Appendix 3: Risk Register Agenda Item 12 183
Transcript
To: City Executive Board Date: 9th October 2013 Report of: Head of Leisure, Parks &Communities& Head of Customer Services Title of Report: REVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY
ORGANISATIONS GRANTS PROGRAMME
Summary and Recommendations
Purpose of report:To inform the committee of the review of the community & voluntary organisations grants programme, and request agreement forthe approach to commissioningfrom April 2014 Key decision? Yes Executive lead member Councillor Bev Clack Councillor Susan Brown Policy Framework: Oxford City Council Corporate Plan & Oxfords Sustainable Community Strategy Recommendations (s):- Members of City Executive Board are recommended:- 1. To approve the programme for the (one-year) annual open bidding grants programme, youth ambition grants programme and the social inclusion programme for 2014/2015. 2. To continue the 3 year commissioned funding approach from April 2014 for all themes except the advice and money management theme, which for a transition year will be a one year programme from April 2014, subsequently reverting to a three year cycle. 3. To approve the fundingthemes and commissioning approach as outlined in Appendix 2 .
Appendices to report Appendix 1: Overview of the voluntary sector in Oxford, by theme,
funded from April 2011 to March 2014 Appendix 2: Specification of funding themes and the approach to
commissioning of advice from April 2014 Appendix 3: Risk Register
Agenda Item 12
183
Background 1. Oxford City Council runs a substantial voluntary and community sector
funding programme to support its corporate priorities. These are:
• A vibrant, sustainable economy
• Meeting housing needs
• Strong, active communities
• Cleaner, greener Oxford 2. In 2011-12, the programme had a budget of £1,403,759 of which
£1,320,460 (94%) wascommitted on a three-year basis to organisations delivering activities which were identified by the council as making a substantial contribution to the achievement of our corporate goals. The remaining £83,299 (6%)is available for organisations to bid for on an annual basis for small scale projects (up to a maximum of £10k) that meets the council’s corporate priorities.
3. By 2013-14the budget increased to £1,463,465. This is due to:
• One off additional funding of £29,000 for Oxford Community Work Agency to assist with increased demand due to changes within the legal aid system.
• £30,706 which was approved in 2012/13 as a permanent budget increase for the annual open bidding grants programme. From the total budget of £1,463,465, nearly ninety three per cent of the budget (£1,355,738) is allocated for the commissioning programme
4. In addition to the above two new funding programmes were introduced
by the Council this year, they are:-
• The youth ambition grants programme – 2013-14 budget £107,000 and
• The social inclusion fund –2013-14 budget £100,000
5. Funding for the voluntary and community sector grant programme is from the Council’s core budget, and subject to annual review as part of the annual budgeting process, with the formal announcement of funding to voluntary and community organisations from the annual open bidding and commissioning programmes, happening after the completion of the budget process but before the start of the new financial year every year.
6. The current commissioning period commenced on 1 April 2011 and ends on 31 March 2014. The services delivered by organisations commissioned by Oxford City Council in this commissioning period fitted into the following themes:
184
Table 1
Commissioning Theme Lead Officer (s)
Advice and money management Helen Bishop, Head of Service for Customer Services Paul Wilding, Benefits Operations Manager
Inclusive Arts and Culture Ceri Gorton, Cultural Development Manager
Community Safety Liz Jones, Domestic and Sexual Abuse Coordinator Linda Ludlow, Drug and Human Exploitation coordinator Neil Holman, Positive Future Programme Manager
Community & Voluntary Sector Infrastructure
Julia Tomkins, Grants Officer
Homelessness Nerys Parry, Rough Sleeping and Single Homelessness Manager
Inclusive Leisure and Play for disabled children and young people
Julia Tomkins, Grants Officer Caroline Robbins, Youth Engagement Officer
7. Table 2 below shows the value to which commissioned organisations
were fundedin 2012/13 and the number of people benefiting from their service. Table 2
Advice and Money Management
Organisation Amount awarded
Number of beneficiaries
Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Support Services (Agnes Smith Advice Centre)
£85,290 2,356
Oxford Citizens Advice Bureaux £200,000 6,337
Oxford Community Work Agency
£122,611 2,183
Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre
£90,478 2,089
Inclusive Arts & Culture
Organisation Amount awarded
Number of beneficiaries
Fusion Community Arts £36,923 9,836
Modern Art Oxford £70,000 100,000
Oxford Contemporary Music £2,500 4,726
Film Oxford £29,304 27,540
Oxford Inspires £45,735 49,560
Oxford Playhouse £24,675 153,296
Oxfordshire Theatre Company £2,500 0 (company
185
closed)
Arts at the Old Fire Station £15,500 10,555
Pegasus Theatre £26,459 15,219
Oxford International Links £5,000 0(failed to report
back – no longer funded)
Homelessness
Organisation Amount award Number of beneficiaries
Aspire £122,690 170
Elmore Community Service £52,067 119
Emmaus Oxford Furniture Store £25,000 23
Oxford Homeless Pathways 133,432 434
Simon House £11,596 3
One Foot Forward £42,992 148
The Gatehouse £9,502 53
The Porch Steppin Stones Centre
£55,000 149
Community Safety
Organisation Amount awarded
Number of beneficiaries
As Dominion Group £35,082 125
Asylum Welcome £8,000 31
Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre
£15,000 423
Community & Voluntary Sector Infrastructure
Organisation Amount awarded
Number of beneficiaries
Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA)
£48,736 120 groups
Inclusive Play for Disabled Children and Young People
Organisation Amount awarded
Number of beneficiaries
Parasol Project £15,000 138
8. Unlike traditional grants to the voluntary sector, a commissioning
process enables the funding organisation to specify the nature of the services which it would like to be provided and secures the services that most appropriately address those needs. This is done by making use of the specialist knowledge that officers gain from working in the specific fields of the funding themes above.
9. Notification will be sent to all funded groups to remind them that their
funding is coming to an end. The report is coming to the board now so that early discussions can be held with each of the commissioned organisations about how we plan to go forward.
186
Reviewing funding programmes to the voluntary and community sector 10 The current three-year commissioned programme is due to end in
March 2014. It is prudent therefore to review how effective this programme has been andto consider how best to take forward the City Council’s support for voluntary organisations in the city in the light of the current economic climate and the learning from the Council’s welfare reform pilotsregarding the scope and nature of customer’s needs going forward.
11. The City Council is committed to working in partnership with the
voluntary sector to meet our shared objectives, so it is appropriate to review our past programmes and set out a rationale for our support to the community and voluntary sector in the future.
12. Oxford City Council is a signatory to the Local Compact for Oxfordshire
(http://portal.oxfordshire.gov.uk/content/public/oxfordshirepartnership/Partnerships/stronger_communities/Signatories_to_the_Oxfordshire_Compact_160608.pdf) which sets out commitments by the voluntary and statutory sector to improve the way in which we work together for the benefit of communities and citizens of Oxford and Oxfordshire. We wish to continue to work with community and voluntary organisations in the spirit of the Compact ethos
One-year open-application grant funding round 13. The annual open bidding grant programme enables small organisations
with small-scale, new or innovative projects to apply for small amounts of funding on an annual basis. No changes are proposed to the open bidding programme, funding to organisations will be confirmed following the budget process.
14. Allocations to individual community and voluntary organisations from the annual open-bidding grant programme will be the subject of a further report to the City Executive Board in February 2014.
15 Oxford City Council recognises the challenges facing young people and
has placed a priority on helping young people to reach their potential. The youth ambition grants programme supports community and voluntary groups working with children and young people across the city with a focus on:
• More active, engaged young people
• Fewer young people either involved in crime and antisocial behaviour or being victims
• Helping to get young people into work 16 From April 2014it is anticipated a budget of £50,000 a year will be
available until 31.03.2016 for community and voluntary groups to apply for projects and activities that fit the criteria.
187
17. Through the social inclusion fund theCouncil wants to support community projects that help people of all ages feel more included in their community, build their skills and increase their sense of achievement. Community and voluntary groups applying for funding from this programme need to show how their projects fit one or more of the following criteria:-
• Link to community plans in key areas of deprivation
• Promote and support access to internet/social networks that benefit communities
• Address transport issues to prevent social isolation
• Build links with community projects, community centres and schools
• Create opportunities for people to access skills / training development
• Capacity building initiatives to develop skills and confidence. 18 From April 2014it is anticipated a budget of £50,000 a year will be
available until 31.03.16 for community and voluntary groups to apply for projects and activities that meet this criteria.
Three-year commissioned funding round 19. The three-year commissioned funding round has provided security and
sustainability for a number of key organisations delivering important services across the city. It has enabled these organisations to provide high quality services that are complementary or additional to, Council-run services and lever more resources and funding in from other sources. Funding for periods longer than one financial year is a preferable approach to providing one-year or rolling one-year funding this is particularly the case in the current financial environment.Appendix 1 provides an overview of the voluntary sector, by funding theme, in Oxford which has informed the recommendations.
20. However, for 2014/2015 we are recommending that funding for the advice and money management theme is for one year, subsequently reverting to a three year cycle. This transition year will enable the council to work with theadvice sector in Oxford to commission services that reflect the way this area is changing and developing.
21. In each theme, community and voluntary organisations need to demonstrate how their projects promote social inclusion. Officers use the principles outlined in the Regeneration Framework and other core strategies when making recommendations to fund organisations, as well as looking at issues of organisational robustness, sustainability and quality of provision.
22. It is also important that the funding allocated by Oxford City Council provides value for money. It is appropriate to expect voluntary organisations in receipt of funding to show how they are reducing their cost base and finding better ways to work together with partners.
188
23. During the year we want to work in partnership with the currently commissioned advice centres so that by April 2015 we are confident our funding arrangements reflect our collective customers’ needsand how they wish to engage with us. Appendix 2 sets this out in more detail.
Themes 24. For the period 2014-18, the overall themes within which voluntary
organisations will be commissioned to deliver services are recommended to be:
• Independent advice and money management services
• Inclusive arts and culture provision that promotes social inclusion
• Services to reduce crime and support victims of crime
• Community and voluntary sector infrastructure
• Services to reduce homelessness
• Inclusive play and leisure for children and young people with disabilities
25. Allocations to individual community and voluntary organisations
through the commissioning programme will be the subject of a further report to the City Executive Board in February 2014, prior to the Council’s budget meeting on 24.02.14.
Joint commissioning 26. Joint commissioning is furthest advanced in the homelessness theme.
The performance of organisations funded through the homelessness theme is monitored by a strategic steering group which meets every quarter. Representatives on this group include Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Drugs Action Team. In partnership with Supporting People at Oxfordshire County Council we have jointly commissioned two organisations through the homelessness theme - Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) to deliver an accommodation based service for young people at One Foot Forward, Iffley Road (previously known as The Bridge) and O’Hanlon House, Oxford Homeless Pathways which is the City’s direct access hostel.
Climate change / environmental impact 27. There are no significant climate change or environmental impact issues
related to this report; however organisations funded through the grants programme are encouraged to be responsible when considering any impact on the environment.
Risk 28. Please see risk register attached at Appendix 3.
189
Equalities impact 29. Each organisation funded through the grants programme has to
provide their equal opportunities policy or statement to confirm they comply with this legislation.
30 Grant funding awarded to community and voluntary organisations has a
significant and positive impact on equalities and promotes community cohesion. In particular, some grants actively support the achievement of equality by otherwise marginalised groups.
Financial implications 31. This report sets out the rationale for a programme to be carried out
from 2014 to 2018. The City Council expects to run the annual open bidding grants programme, youth ambition grants programme, social inclusion fund and a commissioned funding programme; the value of each of these rounds will be confirmed following the budget-setting process. In common with all public sector bodies and following decisions taken by national government, the Council expects to have less funding in future, and so will need to make decisions about the size of resource allocated to the programme of support for the voluntary and community sector in that context. Nonetheless, the current administration is clear that this area remains a priority for the Council.
32. Community and voluntary organisations funded by the City Council are monitored to ensure funding awarded to them is spent for the purpose it was given.
Legal implications 33. Oxford City Council considers it reasonable and appropriate in
exercising its powers pursuant to the provision of s.2 Local Government Act 2000, the Localism Act 2011 and all other relevant enabling legislation to offer grant assistance to community and voluntary organisations through its community and voluntary sector grants programme (commissioning, annual open bidding, youth ambition and social inclusion fund).
34. Oxford City Council will be taking steps to notify all community and voluntary sector funding recipients that their funding is coming to an end and that future funding for the coming financial years is not guaranteed or secure, so there are no legal implications arising from this.
35. Oxford City Council offers grant aid to community & voluntary organisations through the grants programme for services delivered against the Councils core priorities. Grant funding is not subject to EU procurement law.
190
Name and contact details of author:- Name: Julia Tomkins Job title: Grants & External Funding Officer Service Area / Department: Communities & Neighbourhoods, Leisure, Parks & Communities Tel: 01865 252685 e-mail: [email protected]
List of background papers: none Version number: 10
191
Appendix 1 Overview of the voluntary sector in Oxford, by theme, funded in 2011-14 Advice& money management A diverse range of independent advice is essential to ensure equality of access, provision and community cohesion. Oxford City Council has therefore prioritised the area of work and increased its funding over recent years. On 8th March 2012 the Welfare Reform Act 2012 was passed.Major changes are being rolled out such as the benefit cap, localised council tax and social fund support, including reforms to housing benefit and a crack down on fraud and error.The introduction of Universal Credit is predicted by the government to commence in April 2015. Along with the changes to the welfare system there have been somesignificant changes to the civil legal aid system that came into effect on 1 April 2013. The changes mean that some types of case work will no longer be eligible for public funds; this includes divorce, child contact, welfare benefits, employment, clinical negligence, and housing law except in very limited circumstances. These changes have meant that the independent advice centres across the city are much busier. Generally by 9am clients are already queuing outside and they are seeing 20 plus people at each drop in session. Clients looking for help with debt problems continue to increase for all of the Advice Centres. Each centre reports that non priority debt (catalogues, friends and family etc.) is now the biggest problem Arts (includes twinning) Arts and culture contributes significantly to economic, educational and community wellbeing, as well as offering huge benefits to individuals. Organisations funded through this theme have delivered a substantial increase in audience attendance, participation levels in theatre, dance and film, presented events, off site shows and the creation of new shows. Community and youth outreach work is at the core of the work of many of these organisations, contributing to wellbeing, social inclusion and skills development. These organisations offer a wide range of employment and training opportunities for emerging artists and other local communities. Cultural activities build connections within communities and enable the exchange of ideas around issues of identity and pride in localities. In addition to contributing to cultural community work, Oxford City Council’s funding enables these organisations to leverage in large amounts of funding from other sources including Arts Council England. A reduction in funding from Oxford City Council would therefore have an economic impact on the city, as well as putting innovative and collaborative cultural projects around the city at risk.
192
As a result of the spending review, Arts Council England faces a 29.6% cut to its grant in aid for 2011-15. This has already had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on funding of cultural organisations nationally. As a result of these cuts, Arts Council England has changed its suite of funding programmes. There is more emphasis on organisations needing to raise income from other sources, and the funding agreements for National Portfolio Organisations all feature KPIs linked directly to Arts Council’s strategy, Achieving Great Art for Everyone. Oxford City Council’s Cultural Development Manager has adopted this approach in funding agreements with cultural organisations from April 2013. As a result, all these funding agreements have performance indicators linked to delivery against objectives in the city’s Culture Strategy. There is also a standard performance indicator in these agreements regarding using City Council investment to leverage in funding from other sources. Environmental sustainability: Arts Council England is the first arts funding body in the world to introduce the requirement for its regularly funded organisations to develop Environmental Action plans in order to minimise their environmental impact. Oxford City Council has also followed this example and is believed to be the first Local Authority to include this stipulation in its funding agreements with cultural organisations from April 2013. Support will be provided to these organisations by Julie’s Bicycle (who provide the support to Arts Council England) and this initiative is a joint project between the Culture and Environmental Development teams at the city council. Community safety
The Oxford Safer Communities Partnership (OSCP) is responsible for producing and delivering actions plans that tackle Oxford’s community safety priorities. The partnership includes the Oxford Local Police Area, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Probation Service, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Oxfordshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Brookes University, the University of Oxford and the Oxford University Student Union.
The introduction of the newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has affected some of the funding streams. Over the next three years funding stream priorities will change to reflect the decision by the PCC and the PCC Panel. In 2014-15, funding might be cut to such an extent the partnership will no longer be able to fund activities to support its priorities.
OSCP and the county wide Oxfordshire Safer Communities Partnership will continue to work closely with the PCC to support delivery of its work to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in Oxford, and ensure that OSCP’s partnership working continues to be robust and effective.
The priorities for OSCP for 2013-14 are:
• Inter-personal abuse, including domestic and sexual abuse, human trafficking, sex working and child sexual exploitation.
193
• Violent crime, including alcohol-related disorder, serious youth violence, hate crime and robbery.
• Anti-social behaviour, including neighbourhood nuisance, environmental concerns, drug misuse and rough sleeping.
• Priority theft offences, including burglary of people’s homes, theft from cars and metal theft.
There is a growing need for specialist support for victims of violence, intimidation and abuse. Domestic abuse (including Honour Based Violence) and sexual abuse reports have increased in recent years, reflecting the significant amount of work undertaken by agencies to increase reporting before they get to crisis point. These offences do not only affect the victim but has a significant impact on their children and extended families. This requires outreach support to victims of domestic and sexual abuse as many victims do not want to report to the police or the police are not appropriate to provide the necessary intensive support for such victims. The vast majority of children tell no one of the sexual abuse until adulthood. It is imperative that people who have experienced sexual abuse or violence receive specialist support to enable them to come to terms with what has happened Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has until recently been a largely hidden problem. Now it has been brought to the forefront in Oxfordshire through Operation Bullfinch there is a need to tackle it with determination and resources. The multi-agency Kingfisher team identify and work with vulnerable children who are ‘at risk’ of CSE. There is a need for specialist support for victims, parent & carers, other family members as well as the wider preventative and early intervention work. The impact of this crime has an immediate and lasting effect on all of these individuals. It is important for their future safety and wellbeing thatall those affected by CSE should receive specialist support to help them come to terms with what has happened Community and voluntary sector infrastructure The total number of community and voluntary organisations in Oxfordshire is estimated to be 3,783, of which 598 known groups are located and work in OxfordCity. In this difficult economic climate cuts to the public sector has had implications for the voluntary sector. Voluntary and community groups are experiencing an increased demand for services, often from the most vulnerable people in the city, at the same time they are facing significant reductions in funding. The sector has been looking at new and innovative ways of delivering services because funding has not been available. Volunteers have played a bigger role in the delivery of services. However, it must still be understood that there is a cost involved and even voluntary effort does not come free. Investment in community and voluntary sector infrastructure will support the community and voluntary sector while it continues to go through this difficult time, with access to up to date information helping to increase their
194
effectiveness and ensuring those group at risk of exclusion are empowered to findsolutions. Homelessness The City Council manages its homelessness grant of £442,279 alongside the annual Preventing Homelessness grant that it receives from the Department of Communities and Local Government. The grant has been confirmed for the next two years, (2013/14 and 2014/15) at £957k for each year. It is unclear at present if any funds will be made available from Communities and Local Government thereafter. The Preventing Homelessness grant is not ring fenced, but there continues to be an expectation that it should be used to help tackle all aspects of homelessness within the district. It is an expectation that Oxford City Council will have due regard for Government targets when deciding how and when to spend this money, with specific regard to rough sleeping and non-statutory services as well as pump priming initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to homelessness and rough sleeping. The current main national initiative is the delivery of No Second Night Out and the commitment that no new rough sleeper should have to spend a second night on the streets. This involves a rapid and assertive outreach service and access to emergency beds. This has been established in Oxford. Oxfordshire County Council is currently reviewing all its Homelessness and Substance Misuse services with a view of having new services in place by March 2015. The City Council is working as part of this Project Team to establish a new pathway of services. The City Council’s funding as well as the Preventing Homelessness Grant funding will continue to support and enhance this pathway. A review of the Young People’s pathway by Oxfordshire County Council is also due to commence imminently with a strategic needs analysis leading to new services coming on line in April 2015. The Supported to Independent Living Pathway (Mental Health) is established and likely to have a contract extension over the next year whilst the new Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Oxfordshire County Council establish a new outcomes-based model of commissioning. Inclusive play and leisure for children and young people with disabilities Significant research has been undertaken over the last twenty years about the barriers for disabled children and young people to access mainstreamservices. The Government have recognised that additional resources need to be invested in order to improve outcomes for disabled children and children with additional needs. With the number of disabled children and young people increasing more play and leisure organisations are being asked to support them. Disabled children are often excluded from their local provision as a result of the level of support
195
they need and the fear that many have of working and interacting with disabled people. The reality of being a disabled young person is that whilst there are many organisations offering leisure opportunities most are segregated and few are truly inclusive. It is acknowledged that all organisations have equality policies in place to support these individuals however they are unlikely to take them on without additional resources Disabled teenagers interactions with their peers are often restricted to school or college. Core funding is reducing in all organisations, which in turn is reducing their capacity to provide this essential support.
196
Appendix 2 Specification of funding themes and the approach to commissioning of advice 1. Independent advice and money management services Oxford City Council supports advice centres in the city, in order to make free, independent welfare advice, including debt and general advice, available to residents, with a particular emphasis on deprived groups and areas. Breaking down barriers to work, supporting people into work or training, increased take up of entitlements and managing debt can make a considerable contribution to improving the financial situation of a household, deliver an increase in living standards and a reduction in deprivation and poverty experienced. In addition, given that many people in more deprived areas experience financial exclusion, Oxford City Council supports money management services, including advice.
The impact of the Government’s welfare reforms may require a different approach to advice and support for some clients going forward. For many people affected by the benefit changes the only sustainable way to resolve their situation will be by moving into employment. Although, it should be noted, for many people affected by these changes they will have childcare responsibilities which make it difficult to get a full time job. Part time jobs are often low paying and there are more people looking for part time work than full time jobs. However, work we have undertaken in the Universal Credit pilotevidenced that some type of employment is the way forward for many of those affected by these changes. The pilot has involved a caseworker approach and close joint working with a number of relevant providers in the City to facilitate ‘warm handovers’. This approach has been well received by customers and crucial to the successes we have had, as it enables customers to experience a single joined up process, as opposed to a series of apparently unrelated interventions. We currently have a caseload of 156 people we are working with who have been affected by the welfare reforms this year, of those 22 have entered work. In order to maximise and share the learning from the welfare reform pilots, and work positively with the City’s advice sector to better understand existing provision and customer needs we are recommending that funding for advice and money management services is allocated on a one year basis for 2014/15, with a three year commissioning cycle being reintroduced from 2015/16 based on an agreed model for the future. To ensure a cohesive and customer focussed approach to advice commissioning it is recommended that officers work with the advice sector to: a) map current provision within the City and b) explore how Service Level Agreements can be developed to reflect the positive learning from the Council’s welfare reform pilot,respond most effectively to government policy developments and leverage the experience and skills of the advice sector in order to reduce the impact on poverty. It is proposed that a working group is
197
established with representation from those organisations currently commissioned by the Council, to inform theprocess. Dialogue with the advice sector, prior to April 2014, will also include issues such as referring cases, management information requirements, data sharing, provision of specialist advice, training and governance arrangements. The work needs to start now so that any revised arrangements can be trialled and the implications fully understood prior to new service level agreements taking effect in April 2015. It is recommended that progress ismonitored by the existing Welfare Reform governancepanel, which includes officers and members with respective portfolio responsibilities and that the membership is extended to include officers and members with responsibility for commissioning. Detailed specifications of what is to be funded will be agreed with individual organisations as part of the formal commissioning process. Organisations will need to show value for money and meet agreed customer requirements. Funding of Services Services have been categorised into two tiers. The first tier includes those services which link directly to key Council priorities. The second tier relates to services that are primarily the responsibility / priorities of other organisations (such as County Council and NHS Trust) As such we would expect the majority of funding from the City Council to be targeted at the Tier One services. a.Independent advice services Outcomes required:
- Reduce debt, improve money management and increase awareness of the dangers of unaffordable credit among socially excluded and vulnerable people and those on a low income.
- Increase the uptake of welfare benefits and tax credits for those not working or on a low income.
- Identify areas where failures in the provision of Council and other Government services have generated requests for help from the advice sector.
- Enable the City Council through the monitoring of advice centres’ work to build up a picture of clients and their problems in order to make or facilitate, where within its powers, improvements to services and access to advice.
- Break down barriers to work including issues relating to skills, confidence, childcare, security of tenure and perceived lack of employability. This may be through services provided directly or in partnership with other organisations
Services required: Tier 1
- Debt advice, budgeting and money management - Welfare benefits and tax credits - Housing, helping residents with sustainable housing solutions
198
- Crime and community safety - Employment and Training, including confidence building, interview
guidance, and help withCV writing Tier 2 (this list is not exhaustive):
- Community care - Consumer and general contract issues - Education - Family and relationship issues - Healthcare issues - Immigration and nationality - Mental health
Commissioned organisations will make onward referrals as appropriate where another organisation is deemed to be better able to meet the needs of the client. They should also demonstrate how they will avoid duplication of effort where other organisations are providing similar services. Settings required: X hours per week of free one-to-one advice across the city, including in (but not limited to) the following locations:
- City centre - Blackbird Leys - Rose Hill - Barton - Cowley (in city council’s one-stop-shop)
X hours per week of one-to-one advice in primary care settings b. Money management services A money management service reducing dependency on door step lenders and loan sharks. To offer access to affordable financial services such as low cost loans and a saving facility to the residents of Oxford. To offer preventative debt advice including how to maximise income, and promoting the benefits of saving and insurance. The service should be locally based and accessible to all of the residents in Oxford. Providing X hours a week of affordable financial services. The advice and money management services links into the following strategies and plans:-
• Oxford City Councils Corporate Plan 2013-17
• Council priority – Strong and active communities
• Regeneration framework
199
2. Inclusive arts and culture provision that promotes social inclusion Oxford City Council supports the arts because they have a crucial and unique role to play in delivering our vision for the city. The benefit to the community is to enable wide access to high-quality performing arts and cultural activities in various forms including film, dance, theatre and culture that help to provide a ‘sense of place’ and pride in the community, whilst throughout supporting social inclusion and economic development objectives.
Outcomes required:-
• To be an advocate of arts and heritage in Oxford, the region, nationally and internationally
• To maintain and sustain community and youth outreach activity
• To provide an infrastructure for high quality community arts and heritage activity
• Promote Oxford’s international twinning links and develop cultural collaborations with these twin cities
Services require:-
• Providing strategic support, advice, expertise and advocacy for culture and arts in Oxford.
• Identify opportunities for umbrella marketing to promote the arts in the city
• Delivering world class, large scale public cultural events in the city.
• Promoting, brokering and consulting on externally-run events and filming in the city
• Focus on creating and brokering new partnerships and collaborations
• To develop, increase and challenge audiences who find it difficult to access culture
• Provide general support, advice and guidance for cultural development in the city, supporting emerging artists and organisations
• Developing links with Oxford’s twinned cities
• Developing the Museum of Oxford through community-led curation and managing its capital development to meet demand for the expansion of this offer
Inclusive arts and culture theme links into the following strategies and plans:-
• Oxford City Council Culture Strategy 2012-2015
• Museum Development Plan 2013-2017
• Council priorities o Stronger communities o Vibrant, sustainable economy
3. Services to reduce crime and support victims of crime The commissioning of community safety services supports Oxford City Council in meeting its duty to help reduce the fear of crime which has an adverse effect on all our communities. This funding aims to increase access to support services for victims of sexual or domestic violence and vulnerable young people. The benefit to the local community is that this work may help lead to a reduction in anti-social behaviour and will enhance support for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
200
Service required:-
• Delivery of a helpline to support victims of sexual abuse
• Provide a full time domestic violence outreach worker post to work with both male and female victims.
• Deliver a programme to support young people, parent & carers who are at risk of child sexual exploitation and sexual violence.
The community safety theme links into the following strategies and plans:-
• Oxford City Council Corporate Plan 2013-17
• Council priority – reducing crime and anti-social behaviour
• Oxford safer communities partnership strong and active communities
• Social inclusion strategy
• Oxfordshire domestic violence strategy
• Oxfordshire sexual violence strategy
• Regeneration framework
• Oxford Safeguarding strategy 4. Community and voluntary sector infrastructure Investment in community and voluntary sector infrastructure builds the capacity of all of Oxford’s voluntary and community organisations. The benefit to community groups is support to look for funding and help with funding applications, access to specialist knowledge about governance and management and changes in government and local authority strategies and policies. Outcomes required:-
• To enable voluntary and community groups across the city to access up to date information in order to increase their effectiveness, by:.
� Producing and distributing a newsletter available to all
community & voluntary groups in Oxford. � Groups having access to a resource centre � Updating Oxnet with policy and strategic news.
• To support the development of voluntary and community organisations across the city so that they deliver consistently high quality activities and services to their beneficiaries, ensuring that groups at risk of exclusion are empowered to develop their own solutions, by:
� Providing 1 to1 support on funding advice, business planning,
constitutions, legal structures, policies including health and safety, insurance HR and employment etc.
� Provide training workshops on good practice and funding issues
• Enable the ‘voice’ of community and voluntary sector in Oxford to be strengthened and increase the number of voluntary and community groups involved in partnerships and forums
201
� Active representation from the community and voluntary sector at all 7 neighbourhood partnerships across the city.
� Increased number of community groups attending forums and actively engaged.
� Proactively build and develop relationships and project between voluntary and statutory sectors
� Proactively participating in the community engagement network, sharing good practice and forward plan activities and projects
� Voluntary sector voice is heard at a strategic level. The community and voluntary sector infrastructure theme links into:-
• Oxford City Councils Corporate Plan 2013-2017
• Council priority – Strong, active communities 5. Services to reduce homelessness In the councils homelessness strategy, significant consideration is given to the national rough sleeping initiative “Vision to end Rough Sleeping – No Second Night Out” which is based on the work of the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness which brings together 8 government departments to tackle the complex causes of homelessness – not only housing but also health, work and training. Specifically Oxford City Council grant assistance and the Preventing Homelessness Grant are used to deliver against the City Council’s Homelessness Strategy objective to – Prevent and Respond to Rough Sleeping. In terms of commissioning the following priorities have been identified and used as a framework to deliver the above outcomes and allocate funding:-
• Deliver and review the impact of No Second Night Out
• Develop services to tackle the issue of entrenched rough sleepers
• Improve pathways through supported specialist accommodation for former rough sleepers
• Ensure sufficient specialist accommodation and support to meet the needs of single homeless clients in the City
• Review anti-begging campaign and messages and support organisations who work to get people off the streets.
The homelessness theme links into the following strategies and plans:-
• Oxford City Council corporate plan 2013-2017 Meeting housing needs
• Oxford city councils housing strategy
• Oxford city councils homelessness strategy 6. Inclusive play and leisure for children and young people with disabilities Oxford City Council recognised the importance and value of play in the development of children and young people. Oxford City Council has just
202
completed a £3 million investment over 3 years to improve 70 play areas across the city. The benefit to Oxford’s children and young people will be easy access to quality play opportunities. But children and young people with complex needs require specific support to enable them to benefit from play opportunities; this theme will help Oxford City Council achieve that aim and contribute to equality of access to leisure for young people with disabilities Service required: The provision of facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation for children and young people with physical or learning difficulties .
• To work with at least 5 other supervised play providers in the City providing suitability qualified worker(s) to support the specialist needs for disabled children and young people.
• Run specific activities eg choice days for disabled teenagers during school holidays
• Work with at least 22 disabled children (5-12 years) during the course of the year
• Work with at least 17 disabled teenagers (13-19 years) during the course of the year
Outcomes
• Provide trained CRB checked staff to support disabled children and young people
• Support disabled children and young people to access mainstream activities.
Inclusive play and leisure for children and young people with disabilities link into the following strategies and plans:
• Oxford City Council Corporate Plan 2013-2017
• Corporate priority – Strong, active communities.
• OxfordCity Councils Children & Young Peoples Plan
• Oxfords young person’s needs assessment 2013
• Oxfordshire Play Strategy
203
Appendix 3 – Risk register
Risk Score: Impact Score: 1=insignificant; 2=minor;3=moderate;4=major;5=catastrophic Probability Score: 1=Rare;2=Unlikely;3=Possible’4=Likely’5=Almost Certain
No Risk description
link to corp. obj..
Gross
risk
Cause of risk Mitigation Net risk Further Management of Risk
